After the Argument
by strawberrycheese1990
Summary: A short story based on the thought of what happened between the confrontation at the nurses station, and the final scene with Jac, in the episode 'Like A Prayer'. This is a Jac/Johnny story, and in this they are together at the time of that episode.


**A.N. Ok this is just a small idea about what happened between the argument and the scene with Jac on the sofa, but also what if Jac and Jonny were together as in in a relationship in that episode.**

**I hope its ok, oh and just to say I don't own anything; it all belongs to the BBC.**

**A.N 2: I have now changed the spelling of Jonny after it was pointed out that I spelt it wrong. **

_Moday – just after the argument at the admin desk._

Jac was followed into her office by a fuming Jonny.

'What on earth was that about Jac? We all know that you are far from being all sunshine and flowers, but today that was beyond the pale. She didn't deserve to be shouted at like that, or at all, actually. So go on what's your excuse, because as well all know Ms Naylor has an excuse for every situation.'

Jac just stared at her computer screen, desperately trying not to look at the key that Jonny had slammed down on her desk at the beginning of his rant. The same key that she had giving him just this morning.

'Well come on you had so much to say earlier, what's with the silence now. I mean I would blame it on the hormones, but that means you would need to actually be capable of feeling human emotions.'

After a pregnant pause Jac answered in a small meek voice 'She shouldn't have let them in there.'

'She didn't know one did. They snuck in by themselves so stop trying to blame everything on Bonnie, and you were being unbearable way before then. So are you going to tell me or shall we play the Jac Naylor denial game, which you are so well practised at.'

'It's just been a hard day; you know what with Malik and Chantelle.'

'Oh no, you don't get to blame it on them, we have all been worried about them today but do you see anyone else behaving like that. No.'

'I know what he must be feeling, for a surgeon losing a hand is quite possibly the worst thing that can happen.'

'Oh yes, of course you would understand that because your Jac Naylor, Cardiothoracic Consultant and everyone else is just a mere mortal compared to you, and dare anyone who forgets it.'

'Ok that's it. I have sat here and let you say your piece, and I admit I have even agreed at some points, but now you are going to listen why I have my say. Yes I was worried about Chantelle and Malik, and no I'm sorry I'm afraid I don't think you do realise what this is going to do to him. He has been a consultant for **ONE **day. Years and years of training, late nights, hard work and he gets just one day before it is literally ripped out of his hands.

Then I had a patient with quite possibly the two most annoying relative I have ever met, and that is saying something. After hours of trying to get him stable and realise just how detrimental they are to his health, when they manage to sneak back in and set him back so much that I am now preparing to perform life threating surgery, that will take him months to recover from and which could have so easily been prevented.

Lastly, I am 6 months pregnant. I am in pain, I ache, I constantly need to go to the toilet or eating, or I'm craving something which is totally weird if not completely disgusting, which isn't helped by the fact that I need to hide it because I know that if you or Mo got wind of it I would never hear the end of it. You're oh so funny jokes about my pregnancy aren't funny, in fact they are cruel, and despite what you think I am affect by hormones more than you know.

So the last thing I needed was your old friend turning up and you being all pally-pally with me. Do you tell her that we are in a relationship? No. Do you defend us when she said that there must have been a lot of alcohol involved? No. All you say is that I'm carrying your baby and that there are complications, and now because I upset her you are here giving my key back, which may I say it was you who said that we should move in together.'

'So wait, you're jealous? That's what this is all about, your jealous. Oh this is rich.'

'YES, ok I admit it. I'm jealous, there alert the press and how could I not be. You don't talk to me anymore, not unless it is about work or the baby. I am not a walking uterus Jonny. You never ask how I'm doing it's always the baby. You even used the baby as reason to move in together – no I love you and I want to be with you. Hell I'm the only one in this relationship to say I love you. Imagine that the one, who supposedly doesn't feel human emotion, is the only one who can admit that to the other.

Is it that you are not attracted to me anymore? I mean you make enough comments calling me chunky and fatso and laughing with Mo about the changes to MY body. Do you wish that we weren't together? Are you only staying out of a sense of obligation, because our baby has CDH so you feel that you have to stay with me? Or is it that you think I am such a bitch that if we spilt up I wouldn't let you see her, is that it? It must be one of them, because even though you were the one to suggest it and pushed me you sure are giving that key back quickly.'

Jac sat back in her chair, suddenly drained of energy and having stood up some when whilst trying to defend herself, although she wasn't sue when exactly that was. She put a hand on her belly, feeling her little kick in reaction to the increased heart rate. All the while she didn't notice the silent tears running down her cheeks.

She couldn't stand it anymore, the silence, waiting and dreading Jonny's response. In the end she broke the silence, 'Please just go Jonny, you are going to anyway so please…just...please.' was all that Jac said her voice choked, broken. She slowly pushed herself out of her chair, and made her way over to the sofa, her body mirroring her fragile mind. She picked the key up as she passed. She laid down, exhausted and emotionally distraught, her hands resting on her belly, in which contained the one good thing in her life.

Jonny watched her movements, but he couldn't find the words to say, having been in a state on shock since about a quarter the way through Jac speech. He didn't know whether to comfort her or leave her be. He didn't know what to make of her accusations. He didn't think that his actions could or have been hurting her. That had been his biggest mistake, forgetting that she does feel – more keenly than most at that. He needed to think, and so he laid a peck of a kiss on her forehead, whispered I'm sorry and left.

'That's it.' Jac thought 'I've lost him.' And with that she broke down into body shaking sobs.

_Tuesday _

It was the next day and Jac was curled up on her sofa at home. She had the next two days off, a fact she was happy about, not only did it allow her to avoid Jonny for a while but she needed the rest. Although she would never admit it the long shifts were getting to her and the night shifts especially took longer to recover from lately. She was exhausted but she just couldn't sleep.

She needed to decide what to do about Jonny. His silence yesterday must have meant that she hit the nail on the head. He didn't want to be with her anymore and that for whatever reason her was only staying with her for the sake of their baby, and that hurt -a lot - more than she could ever describe. She knew she shouldn't have been shocked; she has enough experience to know that everyone leaves eventually but for once she actually believed that this might be the one who stuck around. Obviously not.

So now she had to be practical, despite the crushing pain in her chest. She wasn't going to do anything stupid like leave Holby. For one she loved her job, and to a degree Holby especially Sacha, Elliot and Michael and seriously who would hire a pregnant surgeon for her to go on maternity leave in just few months. That and Jonny would think she was trying to take his child away from him, so that wouldn't do, but she had to do something. Finally a plan formed, and only after making the necessary calls did her mind finally allow her shattered body to sleep.

Meanwhile inside the halls of Holby city hospital Jonny began his shift.

_Thursday _

Jonny had been doing a lot of thinking over that last two days. The argument from Monday running round his head almost constantly, his sleep being interrupted by images of Jac's broken pleading for him to leave her be. The look of her face.

It was agony and even more so due to the revelation he had in the early hours on Wednesday morning. He loved her, he wanted to be with her, and he caused her pain.

During a time he should have been loving and supporting her, he had mocked and ignored. Actions which would have been cruel enough even without the CDH diagnosis. He had left her alone to suffer in silence – and he hated himself for it.

He knew they weren't perfect, they didn't try or profess to be. They would always have their ups and downs, with their personalities it was inevitable but what he did know is that it would all be worth it. Especially if you take into account how much he had missed her in the last two days. It seemed silly to miss someone that much when they were only on a day off from work, but miss her he did. However all that didn't matter now; he had a plan and stage one starts today.

_Sunday_

Jac was confused, it was not a state she often found herself in, and she did not like, but she just couldn't make head nor tails of the events of the last couple of days. It started on Tuesday, to be honest she expected it go horribly, seeing Jonny for the first time since the argument. She had expected it to be awkward, if he even acknowledged her at all. So to be greeted by a smiling but sheepish Jonny, holding out a cup of hot chocolate and a plate of biscuits, as soon as she entered the ward was a bit of a shock to say the least. The fact that he then spent at least 10 minutes asking about how she was, and what she did on her days off, and that their little one wasn't mentioned until after he had thoroughly enquired about her wellbeing, was nigh on astounding to the consultant.

She had no presumptions that this behaviour would continue past the morning. It was obvious that Jonny may have felt a little guilty, or worried about Jac's response to their discussion the other day, and he would go back to how he had been acting for the last few months, so when he continued, all through their shifts on Thursday, Friday and Saturday this left Jac in her current predicament. She was totally and utterly confused.

For Jonny, the week was going great and his plan even more so. He of course had encountered some resistance, what else would you expect from Jac, but all in all it was going well. In the past few days he had managed to show Jac that he is interested in her and not just their baby. He had been there for her and tried to support her the best he can. All things considered his plan to woo Jac Naylor was going well.

There had been a couple of coffee dates, some shared lunchtimes in the staffroom. No blazing arguments and even some of their famous bantering had returned, and now Jac had asked to talk to him after their shift. He was heading for the coffee shop, in high hopes.

They sat in silence at the table. It seems like once the usual pleasantries and drink making was done with them neither of them wanted to be the first to speak.

' Sooo…' Started Jonny.

'Ok, I might as well just get on with it. After Monday, I called my solicitors and I asked them to draw up some documents for me. As well as changing my will, I also asked them to draw up something else' she pulled an envelope from her bag beside her. 'This is a contract stating that I would in no way stop you from seeing your daughter. I understand that it's not much but I thought it might help. There are some clauses in there you must understand, although this contract is for your piece of mind, I have had to make it so that it cannot be used as a weapon. It's just things like, if you ever become abusive or willingly abandon our daughter, not that I ever believe that you will but you must understand.'

Jonny was speechless he had no idea what to say. When he finally managed to kick start his brain, Jac pager went off.

'I've got to go, AAU needs a consult. Look here is everything, just read it all through, and when you're ready, we can talk about it, ok. Take your time, you don't have to sign and we can add and change things, until you're happy.'

The pager went again.

'Ok I really need to go.' With that she left, leaving behind a stunned and confused nurse.

A few minutes later, Jonny was still sitting at the table, a cup of cold tea in front of him, staring into space and therefore did not notice Mo coming to join him.

'Are you alright?... Jonny…..Jonny.'

'Huh!'

'I asked if you were alright. I thought you were meant to be meeting Jac. What happened?'

'I'm not entirely sure. I'm sorry but I'm gonna head off, I just need to think. I'll see you later.'

Later that night, Jonny couldn't concentrate he had tried to go through the evening as normal but is eyes kept straying to the envelope he place on the side when he walked in. Finally, at 9pm he gave in. Opening the flap he pulled out the contents. His first thoughts were that there were a large number of pages here, more than he expected.

It was only after spreading everything out on the coffee table did he realise that the contract was only a small part of the paperwork. In addition there was; long lists of everything from what was needed in the nursery to baby names to what complications could arrive due to the CDH and what decisions needed to be made in response, a draft birthing plan, Jac's plans for her 6 months maternity leave, and childcare options for after she returned to work, to a list of questions in which she had written her answer and left room for his. The detail was astonishing; it was evident in these pages just how much she cared for their little girl.

After thoroughly reading and re-reading the pages, as well as making notes of his own, he finally turned his attention to the contract. Taking a deep breath he began, and although it took him a while to get used to the jargon he soon realised that it was exactly as Jac had said it to be. He only wished that she hadn't felt that she needed to do it. He needed to talk to her.

He got up to get his phone, when he spotted another piece of paper on the floor. It was headed 'New partners' 

_I would like to request that any new partners are not introduced to our girl until you know that it is serious, maybe about 6 months into the relationship. Even if her parents are not together she should have to see a string of different partners. _

_Also in the case of a serious relationship, that you do not attempt to tempt or take her away from me, and although I agree that it is best if they got on, I would also like to request that she does not call any partner mum, unless she expressly wishes to so. There will never be another man to call dad, so as she will only have one dad, I would like her to know that although her dad is with someone else, I am her mum. If that makes sense._

Jonny slumped back down on the sofa. To see in black and white that she doesn't think that they will be together hurt, but more than that, what did that line mean. 'There will never be another man to call dad'

Did that mean what he thought, that she didn't expect to find someone else. What did that mean about her feelings for him? He needed to think.

_Monday_

Text from Jonny to Jac

'Can I come round. I'll bring breakfast. We need to talk.'

'Jac you must understand when you said you wanted to meet, I thought you wanted to talk about us, so for you to give me this. I just don't know where to start. I love the thought that you have put into this, not the contract I'll get to that in a minute but the other bits in the envelope. It's amazing, that you have included me in even the smallest of thoughts.'

'Well, if we just tried to talk about it we wouldn't get anywhere would we, it just seemed like an idea.'

'It was and that brings me to the contract. I can see why you did it, but I don't need it. I never did, there was no point when I thought you would keep her from me, and at no point did I ever even contemplating not being by your side as we raised our little girl, of us not being together. What I'm trying to say in a roundabout way is that Jac, I am in love with you. I want to be with you, baby or no baby. What I said last week, I was stupid ok. I let Bonnie get under my skin, I'm a different person since nursing school but I reverted to how I acted in school around her and I forgot myself, and for that I am so so sorry.

I mean come on I have been trying for weeks for us to move in and I just threw it away, after what one shift, I want to kick myself for that, and for how I have been acting the last few months. Looking back I can't believe that I did all that. That my actions and words made you feel so unloved and second best, that you felt the need to hide things from me; I made you think that, and I hate myself for it. I should have been there; I should have supported you through the horrible bits, and celebrated with you for the good bits. I have no excuse; I can only hope that you forgive me, and that we can tear this contract up for good.'

'We can't go back to how things were before; things need to change, from both of us.'

'They will do.'

'The first being, working out when you are going to move in here.' And with that she tore the contract in half, earning a large smile from Jonny and a much larger and longer kiss from the nurse as well.

**A.N. That's it, the end. I have finally got this typed up, after many weeks.**

**I hope you enjoyed it or at least didn't hate it. **


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